Felon sentenced to six years for illegally possessing firearm on Minneapolis light rail

Records obtained by Crime Watch Minneapolis show that Matthews was released early from prison on his most recent conviction for aggravated robbery.

firearm
George Matthews IV/Sherburne County Jail

A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 72 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa Kirkpatrick.

George Matthews, IV, 34, threatened to shoot a man while riding the light-rail train in Minneapolis on June 11, 2024, according to court documents. An anonymous 911 caller reported that a man had threatened to shoot the caller’s boyfriend, provided a physical description of the man, and said he was carrying a firearm in a blue nylon drawstring backpack. Part of the interaction was captured on surveillance video.

Police responded to the Metro Transit light-rail station at Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis where they saw a man, later identified as Matthews, who fit the suspect description and was carrying a blue nylon drawstring backpack. Officers shouted at Matthews to stop, but instead, he fled the scene and abandoned the blue backpack as he ran. Inside the backpack, officers found a Kimber Micro 9mm pistol with one round of ammunition in the chamber and four rounds in the magazine. Matthews was arrested moments later while wearing a Smith & Wesson belt clip.

Matthews has two prior felony violent crime convictions for first degree aggravated robbery, as well as felony convictions for fleeing police and offering a forged check. Matthews is prohibited from possessing firearms due to the violent crime convictions.

Despite Matthews’ history of felony crimes, records from the Minnesota Department of Corrections obtained by Crime Watch Minneapolis show that Matthews was released early from prison on his most recent conviction for aggravated robbery. Instead of serving 44 months of a 67-month sentence (two-thirds), Matthews was released early from prison after serving only about 32 months.

In the latest federal case, Matthews pleaded guilty last September to one count of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon and was sentenced on Jan. 15, 2025, in U.S. District Court by Judge John R. Tunheim.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Metro Transit Police.

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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.

 

Crime Watch MN

Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.